Kendal Town Council continues search for site to house pump track in Kendal

Kendal Town Council is to continue its search for a suitable site for a ‘Pump Track’, it has revealed.

These specialist bike tracks allow downhill mountainbike enthusiasts and BMX riders to make a circuit of humps and bumps, using the gravity designed into the track, giving the experience of much longer downhill riding.

The Town Council’s Environment and Highways working group agreed last night that the search for a suitable site in the town should continue.

Cllr Eamonn Hennessy reported that his Facebook page featuring the search for a site had attracted over 500 followers, which was a reasonable indicator of demand.

The working group heard that potential sites were being investigated at Mintsfeet and around Kendal Castle, but that some other potential sites could be ruled out.

Town View Field has a new flood alleviation and biodiversity scheme in it, Rinkfield is prone to waterlogging, Hallgarth open spaces are not very conveniently located for the rest of the town, and Beezon Fields may be required for further planting or use in association with the flood relief scheme.

The group felt that the issue was worthy of further investigation however, so agreed that more information should be gathered about sites which did not have these obvious drawbacks.

Cllr Hennessy presented the group with some example sites from elsewhere in the country, observing that the land required was actually quite small, and biodiversity mitigations could be built in to the design.

He said: "We want to make sure we’re serving all parts of our community.

"We have good play provision for the under 10s, but sometimes provision for older users falls very short.

"The skate park at Beezon is well-loved but this appeals to only a narrow group of riders.

"A Pump Track is a real family-friendly feature."